Accessible eBook Formatting
Accessibility isn’t a nice-to-have anymore — it’s increasingly a requirement. Retailers are tightening their standards, some markets have legal accessibility requirements for published content, and readers using screen readers or other assistive technology deserve a book that actually works for them. TrioMarketers builds accessibility into every file from the start, rather than bolting it on afterward.
What Makes an eBook Accessible
- Proper semantic structure — real headings, lists, and sections (not just bold text styled to look like a heading), so screen readers can navigate your book the way sighted readers do
- Alt text on every image — including your cover, so readers using screen readers know what they’re looking at
- A working, structured table of contents — one that assistive technology can actually navigate, not just a visual list
- Reading order that matches visual order — so content is announced in the sequence it’s meant to be read, even in complex layouts
- Sufficient color contrast and no color-only meaning — so information isn’t lost for readers with low vision or color blindness
- Accessible metadata — flags in the file itself that tell retailers and reading systems your book meets accessibility standards
Why This Matters for Authors and Publishers
- Wider readership. Millions of readers use screen readers, screen magnification, or other assistive tech — an inaccessible file simply locks them out.
- Retailer requirements. Amazon KDP, Apple Books, and others increasingly flag or reject files with accessibility errors during upload.
- Standards are shifting toward EPUB 3 specifically because of its stronger accessibility support compared to older formats — see our EPUB 3 guide for more on why this matters.
- It reflects well on you. An accessible book signals genuine care and professionalism, the same way a well-formatted interior does.
How TrioMarketers Builds Accessibility In
Every file we format is hand-coded, not run through a one-click auto-converter. That means:
- Headings and structure are built correctly the first time, not patched after an automated conversion introduces errors
- Every image gets meaningful, specific alt text — not a generic placeholder
- Files are checked against current EPUB accessibility guidelines before delivery
- We flag and fix the exact kind of errors covered in our EPUB error guides — the same errors that get auto-converted files rejected or downranked
Get an Accessible, Retailer-Ready File
Whether you’re formatting a new book or fixing accessibility errors in an existing file, we can help you get it right — for EPUB, MOBI legacy files, or PDF.